Page 15 of Burning Hearts

Five minutes to go on the time they’d agreed on, coordinating everything to kick off at the same time so they could run for it in the confusion—which unfortunately wasn’t going to be under the cover of darkness.

Since the sun set at midnight and came up again at four a.m., there was zero point in waiting for night that was more like evening dim just so they could make a run for it. It wasn’t even lunchtime yet.

His crew would be hard at work cutting the line.

He was here.

Lord, I want to believe this is the right thing. Guide my steps.

Faith didn’t mean he had no worries. But he could draw from strength outside himself and pray the three of them would be protected until they got to safety.

He wanted to rush and get them running from here as fast as possible. But haste wasn’t always the best way. Sometimes that resulted in more trouble.

Logan checked one more time that the equipment shed was free of anyone nosing around and ducked into the storage closet at the back. Checked his watch again.

Three minutes to go time.

It was the perfect place to set his distraction. At the far end of the compound, the huge equipment building was full of construction machinery, motorcycles in pieces on one side, and small-scale diggers. Even a riding mower and two cordless push mowers. Every kind of tool imaginable was scattered on a workbench cluttered with wrenches, hammers, even a circular saw—and empty beer cans on every spare inch of space.

One wall had two cardboard boxes of newspaper and junk mailers beside at least a cord of wood, in rows and stacked almost all the way to the ceiling, probably for the firepit outside.Perfect.There was a roof vent on one side of the apex roof that would allow the smoke to escape and bring in more oxygen for the fire. He would also leave the window open.

He was ready to go. Just one more thing and he’d switch this plan into gear. Logan twisted the dial on his radio and listened to chatter as he turned up the volume.

“Copy that. When you’re done, head back.” That was Jade.

“Got it, boss.” JoJo.

Logan waited for a break in conversation and said, “This is Logan. Does anyone read me?”

“Logan! This is Jade. Where are you?”

Uh-oh. “Still at the camp.”

“When are you heading out?”

He said, “I instructed the compound residents to evacuate, but they don’t want to listen because the boss won’t order it. I’m helping those that do wish to get out of here, but it’s taking longer than I thought.”

He didn’t want to give away everything to anyone who might be listening, but he also wasn’t going to lie. The men who’d gone after Jamie, according to Tristan’s supposed sighting of her running over the hill, would be back soon enough. If this went to plan, they would rush to this building as soon as they came back into the compound, drawn by the flames from the fire he was about to start.

When he got back to base, he would give Jade and their commander, Tucker Newman, a full briefing so they would know exactly what had happened.

The fact he’d have both Tristan and Jamie to confirm what he told them would help.

Logan said, “I’ll be there soon. I’ll catch up.”

“We’re about done with the line,” Jade said. “Then we will be heading north to deal with a section of fire that Tucker says looks like it might sweep down and join this one. We’ll eat dinner up there tonight. If all is well by evening and the fire is dying down, we’ll hike out.”

And he was set to go south to Jamie’s car while his team headed in the other direction.

Doubling back and going north would take him past the compound again. Logan winced. Would it be better for him to just ride out with Jamie and her brother? “I’ll try and get there before dinner. Might take a while though. I have to go back for my gear.”

Jade said, “Why’s that?”

Of course she asked. “I spotted her car.”

They would all know who he was talking about. Each of them had heard the sob story of how he’d walked away from the woman he loved—loved her then and every day since, if he was honest—and regretted it enough to switch to the Midnight Sun crew when he heard she’d come up here looking for her brother. All for a shot at finding her and convincing her to take a chance on him.

Didn’t look like that would happen now, but he’d have to fill everyone in on that as well—the fact that finding her had led to the realization he needed to let her go.

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